


Star Wars Rebels: Hera & Kanan Season 4 One-Shots

by SpecSeven



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluff without Plot, IN SPACE!, Idiots in Love, Kanan Jarrus - Freeform, Love, Romantic Fluff, Star Wars rebels - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, hera syndulla - Freeform, kanera - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-06 17:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12822441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpecSeven/pseuds/SpecSeven
Summary: It goes without saying that this kind of thing is necessary.





	1. "Recon"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From S4E6 "Flight of the Defender"

Hera watched through macrobinoculars as the speeder bikes carrying Ezra, Sabine, Zeb and Ryder disappeared on the horizon, heading towards Seinar Fleet Systems. They would reach the TIE Defender factory in about a half hour. She’d give them some time to get into position and gather some intel, and then she would check in. In the meantime, she and Kanan had their own mission.

During their earlier briefing, when Hera told the crew that she, Chopper and Kanan would stay behind and do some recon, it elicited a snort from Kanan. “Picking the blind guy for a recon job isn’t going to get you promoted very quickly, Hera,” he’d said, laughing. This had gotten everyone else giggling, mostly because Kanan’s newfound sense of humor about his blindness always resulted in terrible jokes that only he seemed to find extremely funny.

She smiled at the recollection. His laughs had once come so easily, and were now so rare. But humor was in awfully short supply.

Hera perfunctorily scanned Capital City for the twentieth time in five minutes. Unsurprisingly, nothing had changed since her last scan. She lowered the macrobinocs and looked up, checking for any sign of new Imperial ships, but saw none. As the sun made its descent, the ash-filled atmosphere took on a reddish tinge, and the clouds streaked pink across the sky. Hera found the beauty of Lothal’s new sunset incredibly unsettling.

Behind her, she could hear Kanan’s footsteps as he passed- again. He’d been pacing the circular balcony of Ezra’s comm tower for the past hour, with a bored Chopper trailing slowly behind. Something was on his mind.

Hera sighed. Ever since Atollon, Kanan had been different. It was a very subtle change, one that only she would notice. One that was meant for her. Or, more correctly,  _due_  to her.

He’d tried to bring it up a few times, but the conversation he was clearly angling for never seemed to make it past the preliminary stages. She recalled the previous night, standing in an alley in Capital City with Kanan- the sweetness of the moment, abruptly shattered by Zeb on the comm- what might have come of that moment, had it not been cut short? Interruptions, though annoying, had always been commonplace on a small ship full of people in dire circumstances. Kanan’s tolerance for it had never been particularly high, but now he seemed almost resentful. There was more to it than just frequent intrusions of their crew, however; his attempts at broaching whatever he wanted to discuss had been halting and hesitant. He was slowly working up to something.

Hera just wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to hear what that something was.

When they were younger, things had been much simpler, for so many reasons. It was hard to believe that there had ever been a time when it was just the two of them, a time when Chopper was the only one who ever interrupted them. Hera rarely allowed herself the luxury of spending time thinking of better days, but when she did, she couldn’t remember either of them ever wanting more than what they already had. Then again, it was hard to imagine what could have improved on something that good.

So many things had changed since those days. But despite the insanity around them (or maybe because of it), Kanan seemed more determined than ever to have that kind of relationship again. Hera, on the other hand, felt herself pulling back. Every rare stolen moment between them seemed like an extravagance, especially when so many people were suffering, and she and Kanan had the ability to do something about it.

He was coming around the curve of the comm tower again- she could hear Chopper complaining. Kanan ignored him, apparently lost in thought.

“I’m still not sure that sending Sabine and Ezra on missions together is such a great idea,” Hera called to him, hoping to stop his pacing. “They’re too impulsive.”

He slowed his speed as he approached her. “Ryder and Zeb are with them, and they’re just gathering intel. They’ll be fine.”

“You’ve said that before.”

“And they were fine, weren’t they?”

Hera raised one eyebrow. “ _They_  were fine, but none of those missions ended up going remotely the way they were supposed to. Remember Reklam Station? We lost the  _Phantom_ , and we almost lost Ezra, because they ignored their orders.”

“It all worked out, though,” he said, finally coming to a stop beside her. “They make a big mess for the Empire, which is exactly what we want. And it always works out in the end. They’re a good team. Destructive, yes...but good.”

Chopper chortled, and then made a comment that was sandwiched between an insult and a swear.

“No, we weren’t like that, Chopper,” Hera replied, scowling. “Kanan and I were a  _lot_  less destructive.”

The droid warbled at her, waving his grasper arms for emphasis. Kanan burst out laughing.

“You have recordings?! Of what? Hera, did you know about this?”

She shrugged. “It’s part of his original programming to record battles and things like that, for later review. It’s also part of his programming to purge unnecessary information, but Chopper figured out how to override most of his programming a long time ago. I don’t really know what he has stored.”

“Chop, what have you got? Play something,” Kanan said, leaning one elbow on the balustrade.

Hera sighed, wanting to say something about them not having time for nostalgia, but instead, she bit her tongue. Deep down, she had to admit that she was curious, too.

Chopper gave his equivalent of a snicker, and then immediately projected a holovid. Hera saw a much younger version of herself, firing her blaster at a trio of Stormtroopers as she covered Kanan, who appeared to be trying to hotwire a control panel. The holo had no sound, but she saw Kanan throw up his hands and shrug.

Hera grinned. “It’s the mission with the Imperial fuel cells, on Garel,” she told Kanan.

Beside her, still leaning on the comm tower railing, he chuckled. “That wasn’t my smartest move.”

Hera watched as the younger Kanan in the holo shoved one hand in his pocket, rooting around for something. He grabbed Hera’s elbow with his other hand and pulled her backwards, stepping into her position and pulling a grenade out of his pocket. He then very casually activated it and tossed it at the Stormtroopers- and at the same fuel cells he and Hera had been trying to steal, prior to getting caught in the act. She saw herself shout a warning, but Kanan was already moving, and dragging her with him.

Their younger selves raced, hand-in-hand, down an alley and away from the impending explosion. The movement and angle of the holo indicated that Chopper was airborne- he was much faster that way. And then Kanan threw Hera to the ground, covering her body with his. The holo shook as Chopper was propelled over and past Hera and Kanan by the blast. When Chopper turned back towards them, Hera saw that Kanan was anxiously checking her for nonexistent injuries, heedless of his own very real one- the piece of twisted metal that had very nearly severed his right arm. Hera remembered what happened next, and her heart betrayed her by beginning to thud against her ribcage. She watched Kanan gather her into his arms, the two of them staring at each other in the manner of two people who were both full of adrenaline, and utterly in love. And then Kanan kissed her, passionately, and she watched herself respond with equal intensity.

“Oh,” Hera said, letting out a little shuddering sigh. She remembered all too well what that particular kiss felt like. Beside her, Kanan stood up straight and cleared his throat, shifting from one foot to the other. He could likely feel her agitation, even if he couldn’t see it. There was no doubt in her mind that he knew what she'd seen, and remembered that part of the mission just as well as she did.

Chopper giggled and stopped the holo there, and then immediately began replaying the kiss on a loop.

“Chop, shut it off,” Kanan said, sounding a bit weary. Chopper ignored him, waving his grasper arms back and forth gleefully.

With more effort than she ever could have anticipated, Hera tore her eyes away from the flickering blue image. Looking at Kanan’s pressed-together lips and clenched jaw, she figured it was a good time to let him in on the other part of their mission.

“I was thinking about what you said last night,” she told him. “About us not having spent any time alone lately.”

“Yeah?” His voice took on a slightly more hopeful tone.

“Yes. The opportunity presented itself to do something about that.”

The tension in his face began to ease. “Does this opportunity have anything to do with why you sent everyone but Chopper on a mission that’ll probably take awhile?” he asked.

“Well...someone has to keep watch,” she replied.

As she watched a smile slowly spread across his lips, she quieted the voice inside her that told her it was selfish to spend a single spare moment on anything other than defeating the Empire. Kanan was the most important person in the galaxy to her; his love kept her grounded, and fortified her strength. She knew she would never have gotten so far in this fight without him. Her eyes dragged themselves back to the holo; Chopper had begun playing a different scene. Hera saw herself in a med bay, unconscious, and she recognized the scene; it was the aftermath of the attack above Concord Dawn. Kanan sat beside her with a stricken look on his face, clutching her hand in both of his. He leaned over, pressing his forehead against the back of her hand, and his shoulders heaved- a sigh? A sob? She wasn’t sure, but either way, the image of his emotional pain was difficult to bear. She knew he loved her; he showed her constantly, in ways both big and small. But she’d rarely seen him so distraught, and it moved her deeply.

Her feelings for him, always kept so carefully in check, now threatened to overwhelm her.

Hera grabbed Kanan’s hand and pulled him toward the entrance to the comm tower’s former control room, brushing her hand along Chopper’s dome as she passed him. The droid knew her too well. And she knew that he would keep watch while she and Kanan spent some much-needed time alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original intention was to turn this into smut (sorry). Zeb does say that he, Ryder, Ezra and Sabine have been on their stakeout 'for hours', which of course is PLENTY of time for Hera and Kanan to get their time alone. We were all thinking it, right? Plus, picking a blind dude for a recon gig is a definitely a peculiar choice. Of course, in the very next episode, they're written like two dummies who haven't done any recon on each other's genitals in awhile (which is just one of many reasons why there should never be a ratio of 12 males to 1 female in any writer's room). But, yeah, I do think they're still getting busy, when they can find the time and the privacy to do so (which is likely not often). It's not about sex- it's about intimacy and connection and love. And I guess because of that, I didn't feel like intruding. But that could change. We'll see. 
> 
> Also really liked the idea that Chopper has these recordings, and uses them to push H & K together. It's probably really just that he's bored, but I also think he feels guilty for Chopblocking (copyright: George "The Chopper Guy") them for years, too. Also, Chopper is all of us, with that holo.


	2. Trust in the Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one-shot falls somewhere between "Flight of the Defender" and "Kindred". It was inspired by the tents you can see in the background in "Kindred".

Kanan yanked the tie out of his hair and stretched out as well as he could. The tents Ryder had provided were on the small side, but they kept the crew relatively warm and dry as they slept.

He folded his arms under his head, simultaneously exhausted and wide awake. Hera was still up- he could hear Chopper grousing about the modifications she'd asked him to complete on the U-wing. Two tents away, Zeb was already snoring loudly.

Slowing his breathing, he attempted to slip into a meditative state, but was pulled out of it immediately by the sound of Hera's boots crunching over the dirt towards his tent.

She crouched down next to it and murmured, "Kanan, are you asleep?"

"No," he answered. He heard the tent flap move as she poked her head through it.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course." He squirmed to one side, making room for her.

She crawled in and flopped down on her back with a sigh. Kanan rolled to his right side and propped himself up on his elbow, irrationally willing his eyes to work for just a moment, so that he could see her face again. But the warmth and shape of her, the sound of her breathing, her strong presence in his mind- it would have to suffice.

"It might work," Hera said. "If Sabine can get that hyperdrive installed and operational."

"I'm sure she will. I'm more concerned about you getting past that blockade."

A rustle of fabric, as she turned her face towards him.

"You don't think I can do it?"

He smiled. "You know that I think you can do anything, Hera. But that's not going to keep me from worrying about you. Thrawn is formidable enemy, with a lot of firepower at his disposal."

"It doesn't matter," she said, with a little steel in her voice. "I have to try."

"It doesn't matter if I worry about you?" Kanan asked, half-joking. He could imagine the look on her face: fond exasperation, most likely. Looking for reassurance had never been his style, and he couldn't quite explain why he needed it now. He knew that Hera loved him. In the last four years of their life together, though, their relationship had understandably become less and less of a priority. The Rebellion came first, always. What kind of a person was he, to ask for more from her?

She huffed. "That's not what I was talking about, when I said it didn't matter- and you know it."

"So it  _does_  matter?"

"Kanan."

He sighed. The more dire the circumstances, the more Hera seemed to want to keep her distance. She had a job to do- an incredibly important one- and she didn't want or need to be distracted by what she deemed superfluous to the overall mission. It wasn't new; the topography of their history together was rippled with the hills and valleys of this ongoing conflict. Hera rarely allowed herself the time to think about herself or her own feelings, but when she did, it was always about the push and pull between her personal life and the Rebellion.

Most of the time, she chose the Rebellion.

"You know what my life was like, before I met you," he told her. "This- you, Ezra, Zeb, Sabine, Chop- this is what matters to me. And it matters to you, too."

"Of course it does. But that's _why_  we're fighting, Kanan. So that we can  _all_ be free," Hera said.

He was silent for a moment. "I don't know that I care about being free, if you're not there with me."

"You don't mean that. And this isn't just about us. This is about the whole galaxy."

"It's never just about us," he said, his gentle tone balancing the petulance of the words.

"And it can't be, until the Empire is defeated. So many people are suffering, Kanan. It feels selfish." She sighed deeply, and he could feel the conflict surfacing in her- and the irritation.

He ignored it. "Are you saying that love is selfish?"

"I'm saying that it  _feels_  selfish."

"It's not wrong to be selfish, sometimes," he reminded her. "You know that, don't you? Balance is a good thing."

Hera didn't answer. She was tense, and he felt guilty. But knowing what she was up against...

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I've almost lost you so many times. You'd think it would get easier, but it doesn't. It gets harder."

He felt her tension spike. No- not tension. Fear. Not out of concern for her own safety, but out of concern for his. He felt the touch of her hand, and he took it, squeezing gently.

"It's not easy for me either, love," she said, and her voice was low and strained. She rolled onto her side, towards him. Without thinking about it, they fit their bodies together, arms encircled and legs intertwined. Hera nestled her head under his chin.

Kanan rubbed her back, listening to her breathing. He tried, as best he could, to calm her through the Force. Eventually, her breathing evened and slowed, and she drifted off to sleep. He held her, but sleep eluded him.

It wasn't just Hera. There was something else, too. Ever since they'd arrived on Lothal, Kanan had felt... _something_. As he'd told Ezra, all the paths seemed to be coming together, though to what end, he didn't know.

 _Trust in the Force_.

Master Kenobi's words. Kanan heard them often, in his mind. What choice did he have, but to trust in the Force?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These one-shots were partially motivated by the maddeningly (deliberately?) ambiguous dialogue between Hera and Kanan in S4. It always seems to me that we're missing out on portions of the conversation, so I had to head canon it to have it make some sense for me. Kanan's definitely leaning into the relationship, and Hera- I mean, I think she's just got a lot on her plate. Kanan always makes me think of this Erich Fromm quote: "Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature love says: 'I need you because I love you.'" He needs Hera because he loves her- and I think maybe he has the sense that there might not be a happy ending, that they might be separated somehow- and he just wants to be with her, you know? There's nothing wrong with that, but I think it's just not really something Hera is fully capable of. She committed herself to the Rebellion, not to Kanan- which sucks for Kanan. But that's what she feels like she has to do. That's who she is. So I guess we'll have to see how that's going to play out with Kanan's ultimate fate, whatever that ends up being.


End file.
